Babak Mobasher ( بابک مبشر ) and his father-in-law Alaeddin Khanjani (علا‌ءالدین خانجانی) were arrested around 6 a.m. today when agents from the Ministry of Intelligence raided their home [which is apparently located in Tehran ~Sen]. Alaeddin Khanjani is the son of Jalaluldin Khanjani, one of the imprisoned “Yaran” (national facilitators for the Bahai community in Iran, while Babak Mobasher is the husband of Leva Khanjani ( لواء خانجانی ), a Bahai excluded from tertiary education, who was freed from Evin prison after serving most of a two-year sentence on June 24, 2014.

The Alliance for the Rights of All Minorities in Iran adds that not only the home of Mr. Khanjani but also his office and warehouse was raided, and that four employees were arrested, one whom was later released because he was a Muslim. All the cash, gold personal jewellery, and other items in storage belonging to the business were confiscated. The group responsible for this action is said to be affiliated with those responsible for the arrest of the Yaran seven years ago.

[Update, August 13. Iranian internet media are reporting the arrests as the smashing of a big spectacle-smuggling network. Eight arrests are reported, without giving any names. Given that a Muslim employee was released, it appears likely that the security force’s action relates to the common belief in Iran that Bahais are “unclean.” Because of this belief, they are barred from engaging in certain economic activity, such as in the food sector, where their ‘uncleanness’ might be passed on to Muslims. In the past two years, a number of optician’s shops operated by Bahais have been closed down, especially in the more backward areas of Iran where superstitions have a stronger hold. ~ Sen]